G4GUITAR Student News, Feedback & Questions

Why can't I just learn songs?

2008-07-22T19:03:00.000-07:00

This is a common question.

Let's face it. The reason we learn guitar is to play songs. Who wants to play boring old scales? In my first few years as a young teen I learnt many songs. Badly. I couldn't understand why the kid down the street who started after I did and was 5 years younger was better than I. I needed to know. Well it turned out he had a teacher where I was trying to teach myself. I actually knew many more songs than he did but his technique, feel and sound were superior. So I got myself a teacher and within months my playing took off. The reason was mostly to do with motor skill development. I had plenty of songs and riffs up my sleeve when I started lessons but my motor skills were poor. My teacher was able to transform my playing within months through skill development exercises.

Let me use an example we can almost all relate to. Typing. My guess is around 80% or more of us go out and buy a keyboard and never learn to type. Most of us spend anywhere from one hour to 10 hours a day on a keyboard yet we still never learn the actual skill of typing. We literally waste hundreds of hours every year because we take 5 times longer to type something compared with someone who has mastered the skill of typing. Why? Because all we want to do is write emails. We don't want to learn to TYPE! How boring.

But it does seems kind of ridiculous to not spend a few months learning typing to save hundreds if not thousands of hours. This is exactly what happens if you learn songs on guitar while ignoring the motor skill development. I am not suggesting you won't become a good guitarist just playing songs. You certainly can but like the person who doesn't learn to type you will just take a lot longer to do it. Trust me on this. Develop those motor skills and I absolutely guarantee you will never regret you did.

What are G4GUITAR Certificates?

2008-07-07T06:49:00.000-07:00

Learning guitar with G4GUITAR involves working through specific levels. We have a Young Beginners, Junior and a Senior Guitar course

Young Beginner (Ages 4 years to 6 years) - No levels.
Junior (Age 7 years to 12 years)- 7 Levels
Senior (Ages 13 years to Adult) - 3 Levels plus 4 Levels of AMEB (Australian Music Exam Board).

When a student completes a particular level they will receive a certificate.

All students will have a Checklist in their folders which will require all sections to be ticked to receive a certificate. Parents should review the checklist each week.

Are lessons on during the school holidays?

2008-07-02T18:57:00.000-07:00

Yes lessons are all year round except for a 2 week break over Christmas/New Year.

Charity Event for Children in Africa

2008-07-02T15:51:00.000-07:00

One of our students are having a fundraising event to raise money for a very worthwhile charity to help children in less fortunate circumstances in Africa.

For more information please contact Wendy 9955 8571 or 0412 699 897. You can also visit the website for a better understanding of this charity. http://www.watoto.com

AMEB exams

2008-06-19T16:58:00.001-07:00

Can G4GUITAR students do AMEB (Australia Music Examination Board) exams?

Answer: The goal for all G4GUITAR students is to complete the 4 AMEB CPM level exams but this is optional. These exams are difficult and designed for ages 13 years and over. So we have the 7 junior levels for the younger students. Once a junior student completes all 7 levels they can begin on the senior levels of which there are 3 G4 levels. Senior students will begin on the G4GUITAR senior levels. Once completed students then begin to prepare for AMEB CPM exams.

I would strongly recommend all students doing some separate music theory lessons. At the very least we have a book available call 3 in 1 Theory for $20. It is a great book and you could work through it together with Mykah. Let me know if you would like to buy a copy and I will organise one. Please visit our online shop. http://www.g4guitar.com.au/shop.html